Global politics have been “rooted in pessimism” and operating in “a culture of fear that uses up political energy” since 11 September 2001, international human rights lawyer Conor Gearty argued recently (August/September edition)

Former Labour Party spokesperson on Northern Ireland Kevin McNamara criticises the British government over its failure to comment on the Stevens III inquiry report on collusion between the British security forces and loyalist paramilitaries (May/June/July edition)

The Irish Democrat’s northern correspondent Bobbie Heatley argues that Britain’s failure to construct a framework for partial democracy in the north could stimulate calls for regime change of a different kind (May/June/July edition)

The latest version of the plastic baton round (PBR), the L21A1, is even more dangerous than its predecessor, accroding to a recent report published by Northern Ireland’s Human Rights Commission.(May/June/July 2003 edition)

A government u-turn on the inclusion of a clause in the criminal justice bill to cover cases of corporate manslaughter is heralded as a breakthrough by trade unions and health and safety campaigners (May/June/July 2003 edition)

Sir Johm Stevens has confirmed that a former head of the notorious Force Research Unit could face charges as a result of a police investigation into collusion between the security forces and loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland (February/March/April 2003 edition)

The Irish Democrat’s Belfast-based correspondent Bobbie Heatley looks behind the diplomatic dance and predicts further trouble down the line for the pro-agreement camp (February/March/April 2003 edition)

The family of murdered Belfast teenager Peter McBride launches a fresh legal challenge to the British army board's decision to allow her son's killers to continue with their military careers (February/March/April 2003 edition)